The National Capital continued to be shrouded by thick, toxic haze on Wednesday, as it recorded its second consecutive day of "Severe" air quality. With an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 418 - down marginally from 428 on Tuesday - Delhi shared the tag of being the most polluted city in the country along with Jind in Haryana.
The worsening situation prompted the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to enforce stricter measures under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), which was triggered when the air quality first turned 'Severe' on Tuesday.
Stubble Burning Contribution Reaches Season High
A sharp rise in transportation of farm fire smoke contributed most to the hazardous air.
Peak Contribution: The share of stubble burning in Delhi's PM2.5 concentration reached 22.5% on Wednesday - the highest contribution this pollution season so far. This surpassed local pollution sources such as vehicular emissions for the day.
Rising Trend: The farm fire contribution has seen a consistent rise - increasing from 13.7% on Monday to 15.5% on Tuesday before touching the peak of 22.5%. Meteorology Traps Pollutants Experts said the ongoing crisis was because of high emissions within Delhi and unfavourable meteorological conditions that were preventing the pollutants from dispersing.
Stagnant Conditions: The winds were largely calm during the early hours while only light winds blew during the day time, combined with low temperature and low boundary layer height. These stable meteorological conditions effectively trap the toxic haze close to the ground.
Neighboring Distress: Air quality in the NCR region also remained critical, with Noida recording a 'Severe' AQI of 408 and Rohtak hitting 406.
Severe-Plus Zones And Forecast
Out of the 39 active continuous air quality monitoring stations in the city, the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) Sameer app showed that 32 recorded air quality in the 'Severe' category.
Worst Locations: Wazirpur, Chandni Chowk, and Bawana were marked as the most polluted areas, with AQI levels surpassing the 450-mark, putting them into the 'Severe-Plus' category.
Outlook: The Air Quality Early Warning System (EWS) has predicted that Delhi's AQI is likely to remain in the 'Very Poor' category from Thursday to Saturday, offering only marginal relief from the current hazardous levels.
ALSO READ | Delhi Blast: NSG Probes Faridabad Village; Vehicle Linked To Umar Un Nabi Seized
